Valve assembly for plural motor operation



Rp R. cRooKsToNk Y' 2,4895450 VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR PLURAL MOTOR OPERATION Filed Aug. so. 194s Nov. 29, 1949.

Fle. 5.

ATTORNEY `Patented Nov. 29, 1949 l UNITED STAT Es PATENT OFFICE- VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR PLURAL MOTOR OPERA'I'IN Robert R. Crookston,

mesne ents,

ment Company, Elizabeth, N. J.,

o! Delaware Houston, Tex., assigner, by

to Standard Oil Developa corporation Application August 30, 194.6, Serial No. 693,992

The present invention is directed to a valve assembly adapted to control the ow of uid into a pluralityvof containers.

In commercial operations it is at times desirable to provide a valve mechanism which will control the flow of fluid into a plurality of containers whereby fluid is allowed to flow into first' ment about an axis coinciding with the axis of the hoisting drum and control means are provided for engaging and disengaging the brake bands with the hoisting drum in sequence during the normal operation of .paying out line and which allows both brake bands to be engaged with the hoisting drum simultaneously to stop the rotation of the hoisting drum. The present application is directed specifically to the-valve mechanism described and shown in the aforesaid copendingr application.

The assembly of the present application involves a first valve housing having at least an inlet and an outlet, a first valve member slidably arranged in the first housing for assuming a rst position wherein the inlet and outlet of the housing are in fiuid communication and a second posivtion wherein fluid communication between the inlet and outlet of the housing is prevented, a second valve housing having an inlet and an outlet, a second valve element slidabh'r arranged in the second housing for assuming a first position with the inlet and outlet fluidly connected and a second position wherein fluid communication between the inlet and outlet is prevented and means mechanically connecting the first and second valve members wherein, during what may be called normal operation, the flrst valve member is in its first position when the second valve member is in its second position; the first valve member is in its second position when the second vvalve member is in its first position but which means is capable of causing both valve members to assume simultaneously their first positions.

f The two kvalve housings, the two Slidable valve members and the member mechanically connect- 2 the master valve unit fluidly .connected to cylinders having pistons slidably arranged therein; l y Fig. 2 is a view showing in detail one of the valves of said master valve unit;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the member of the valve of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a view showing the other valve of the master valve unit;

Fig. 5` is a view showing the interior of the y housing of the valve shown in Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 is a view showing in detail an arrangement for mechanically connecting the two slidable valve members of the master valve assembly; and

Fig. 7 is a view showing another embodiment of a suitable means for mechanically connecting the Slidable members of the master valve arrangement.

Turning now specifically to the drawing and n able member |02 defines a passage |03. When the valve element is in its position with respect to housing I0 I, as shown in Fig. 2 and hereinafter referred to as its lfirst position, the base of uid passage |03 is in fiuid communication with inlet |04 of housing |0| and the upper portion ofthe passagel is fluidly connected to outlet |06; when the valve element is at the other end of the valve housing, hereafter referred to as its second position, fiuid passage |03 has no communication with outlet |06. If Slidable member |02 is in its first position, air may pass from inlet port |04 through passage |03 to outlet port |06; if the slidable member is in its second position,'passage |03 is not in iiuid communication with an outlet port so that compressed air cannot flowJfrom inlet |04 through the Valve. Slidable 'member |02 also defines a passage |08; this passage will hereinafter be referred to as an exhaust passage. When member |02 is in its second position exhaust passage |08 allows fluid communication between outlet port |06 and outlet port |01; when member |02 is in its first position fluid communication between the outlet ports |06 and |01 is prevented. Slidable member |02 is connected to rod passing through a suitable vvfluid tight gland, not shown in detail, of housing the valve members in the arrangement above described may be considered as a master valve unit. This master valve unit is advantageously f employed for controlling the positions of pistons slidably arranged in cylinders.

The present invention'will now be described in greaterdetail in conjunction with the drawing Whereini Fig. 1 is in the form of a flow diagram showing Valve housing I0 I corresponds to that of ,valve housing |0| except that the positions of the various parts are reversed, that is to say, the two valves |00 and |0| are related similarly to the right and left hands of a person. In valve |00', housing 10| has Slidable member |02 arranged therein. Member |02' defines passage |03'. If

slidable member |02' is in the position shown in Fig. 4, hereinafter referred to as its second posiso tion, air exhausts through the valve, passing from port through passage |08' to port |01'. If the slidable member is at the other end of housing |02'. hereinafter referred to as the first position, air passes from inlet port |04' through passage |03' to port |06'. Slidable member |02' is con# nected to rod I passing through a suitable uid tight gland, not shown in detail, of housing |02'.

The members |02 and |02 are mechanically connected with an expansible member whereby the two slidable members are retained in a xed relative position during what is hereinafter referred to as normal operation and the spacing between the two members altered in what is hereinafter referred to as an emergency operation.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the means mechanically connecting members |02 and |02' consists of rods and which in turn are connected to opposite sides of diaphragm 2. An inlet air line |00 controlled by valve |23 is iiuidly connected to diaphragm member ||2.

It will be seen that the end surfaces of member |02 cooperate with housing |0| to f orm a substantially fluid-tight seal and access to the space at the head end of housing |0| is provided by inlet port ||0. Similarly, the end surfaces of member |02' cooperate with housing |0| to form a substantially fluid-tight seal and access to the space at the head end of the housing is provided by inlet port l |0.

An inlet air line ||3 controlled by valve I I4 is connected to inlet .port |,|0 and similarly an inlet air line ||3 controlled by valve i4' is fluid- `ly connected to inlet port ||0. Air line H3 is provided with an outlet |32 for bleeding olf pressure controlled by valve |3| and similarly line ||3' is provided with outlet |32 controlled by It will be understood that in the commercial design of the equipment valves I and |3| may be provided by a single mechanism as may valves H4 and |3|.

A power unit consisting of a cylinder l5 with a piston rod attached to the piston with one end projecting through the piston rod end of cylinder ||5. A spring ||8 is positioned within the cylinder between the head end thereof and piston ||6 to bias the piston toward the piston rod end of the cylinder. A conduit ||9 fluidly connects the piston rod end of the cylinder with outlet port |06.

Similarly, a cylinder ||5 has a piston H6' arranged therein for reciprocation with a piston rod |1 attached thereto and passing through the piston rod end of the cylinder. A spring I8' is arranged in the space` between piston ||6 and the head end of cylinder ||5 to bias the piston toward the piston rod end of the cylinder. A conduit ||9 iluidly connects the piston rod end of the cylinder with outlet port |06 of valve |00'.

Another embodiment of the expansible means arranged to connect mechanically the two valve elements |02 and |02' is shown in Fig. '7. In this embodiment a housing is provided with piston |2| consisting of flexible cup |25 and retaining members |26 and |21, and a piston |2| consisting of flexible cup and retaining members |26' and |21'. Piston 2| is connected to rod and a piston |2|' is connected to rod A spacing element |24 is slidably arranged in housing |20 between pistons 2| and |2|'. It will be seen that the outer surface of element spacing |24 is provided with grooves to allow the free passage of air from inlet |22 to the surfaces of pistons 2| and |2| adjacent spacing the position shown in Fig. 1 with valves 4, ||4

a piston ||6 arranged to reciprocate therein has and |30 closed and bleeder valves |3| and |3| open. Assume also that the valve member |02 is in its first position and valve member |02' is in its second position. Upon opening valve |30 air is allowed to ilow through inlet line |28 and branch lines |29 and |29' to valve housings |0| and |0|. Valve member |02' prevents passage of fluid through valve |00' but valve member |02 allows air to pass through line ||9 into the piston rod end of cylinder ||5 and the compressed air moves piston |6 toward the head end of the cylinder compressing spring IIB. If it is desired to allow piston ||6 to move away from the head end of cylinder ||5 and piston ||6 to move toward the head end of cylinder H5', this opera-A tion may be carried out by closing bleeder valve |3| and opening valve H4; air admitted via valve and line 3 causes valve element |02 to move from its first to its second position and its movement is communicated through rod diaphragm ||2 and rod to valve element |02' which in turn is moved from its second position to its first position and allows air to pass from inlet line |28, branch. line |29', valve |00' and line ||9 to the piston rod end of cylinder ||5 and pushes piston H6 to the head end of the cylinder. The movement of ,valve element |02 to its second position allows fluid communication between ports |06 and outlet |01 whereby airis exhausted from cylinder l5 so that while piston ||6l is moving toward the head end of cylinder H5 under the influence of compressed air, piston ||6 is moving away from head end of cylinder ||5 under the influence of spring ||8 with the air being exhausted through line H9, valve |00 and outlet port |01. As the next step of normal operation of the device, valves ||4 and |3| are closed,` and valves ||4 and |3| are opened; these changes in the valve settings allow air to enter the head end of valve |00 and this in turn moves valve element |02' from -its first to its second position and this motion is mechanically transmitted through rod I', diaphragm ||2 and rod to valve member |02 which in turn is moved from its second to its rst position. This movement of the two valve elements allows air to be exhausted from cylinder H5 through conduit ||9 and exhaust port and at the same time allows compressed air to enter through line |29, valve |00 and line ||9 to the piston rod end of cylinder 5 and the cycle may then be repeated.

In what may be termed emergency operation, air is allowed to iow from inlet line |28 simultaneously through valve members |00 and |00' to the piston rod ends of cylinders H5 and H5', respectively, simply by opening valve |23 to allow compressed air to expand diaphragm ||2. The expansion of diaphragm 2 forces both valve members to assume their first positions. That is to say, if the apparatus has been in normal operation with valve member |02 in the first position and valve member |02' in the secthe expansion 'of the diaphragm drives member |02' from its position while valve member |02 is retained in its iirst position. Similarly,

if the assembly has been in normal operation with valve member |02' in its rst position and valve member |02 in its second position, the expansion of diaphragm ||2 drives valve member |02 to its first position while valve member |02' is retained in its rst position. In other words, the expansion of diaphragm ||2 allows compressedair to pass simultaneously through valves and |00' and simultaneously moves pistons H8 and IIB' toward the head'ends of cylinders ||5 and |15'. If it is desired to go from emergency operation to a normal operation air may be released from diaphragm I I2 to allow it to contract; thereupon either valve IH or valve IM' may be opened to cause movement ofthe assembly consisting of valve elements |02, |02', rods and dia` phragm ||2 and the device again begins normal operation as heretofore described.

If the valve elements |02 and |02 are mechanically connected by the assembly shown in Fig'. 7, it vwill be seen that the normal operation is carried out in the same manner as by the embodiment employing diaphragm member l2. In normal operation of the embodiment of Fig. 7, pistons |2| and |2|' are in contact with spacing member |24. In an' emergency operation, valve |23 is opened and forces the piston or pistons which are not in contact with the end of housing |20 to move away from spacing member |24; this in'turn drives either valve member |02 or |02 from its second to its first position, while retaining the other valve member in its first position thereby simultaneously moving both pistons ||6 and H8' toward the head ends of cylinders and Ill',

respectively.

' the valve elements. Similarly, the extendable member mechanically linked to valve elements |02 and |02' need not necessarily bepthe fluid operated means shown in the drawing but may be operated by other meanssuch as mechanical orelectrical.

vHaving fully described and illustrated embodiments of the present invention, what is desired to be claimed as new and useful and to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device adapted to control the position of pistons in cylinders comprising a rst cylinder having a piston slidably arranged therein and having an inlet port at one end, a second cylinder having a piston slidably arranged therein and having an inlet port at one end, a first valve casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and an exhaust port, a conduituidly connecting the.

outlet port of said first valve casing with the inlet port of said iirst cylinder, a second valve casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and exhaust port, a conduit iluidly connecting said outlet port of said second casing with the inlet port of said second cylinder, an assembly adapted to move as a unit vincluding a rst valve member slidably arranged in said first valve casing and iiuidly connecting the inlet port with the outlet port thereof when in a rst position and connecting the outlet port with the exhaust port when in 4a second position, a second valve member slid ably arranged in the second valve casing and uidly connecting the inlet port with vthe outlet port thereof when in a first position and the outlet port with the exhaust port when in a second position and means including an extensible member mechanically connecting the iirst valve member with the second valve member, said extensible member being arranged to assume a normal position whereby said first and second valve members occupy unlike positions in their respective valve casings4 and arranged to assume an extended position to' cause said first and second valve members simultaneously to assume their rst positions in their respective valve casings.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said extensible member is a diaphragm adapted to be expanded by acompressed fluid.

ROBERT R. CROKSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the me of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 842,931 Kewley Feb. 5. 1907 1,287,957 Barshaw May 28. 1918 1,908,810 Ball May 16, 1933 1,970,475 Schorremans Aug. 14,1934 2.286.878 Schwartl... June 16, 1942 2,313,797 Bailey Mar. 16, 1943 

